THE STORY OF THE GIBEONITES - Samuel turns away; Saul grabs at him and only catches his robe, and tears it. So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul; and the five sons of Michal [Merabsee margin of most Bibles] the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. All they wanted, they said, was a peace treaty with Israel; then they would return to their distant home. It causes a problem in the way that the next generation is formed. "We don't want any money, for sure not Saul's money. . 5. Then they answered the king, "As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, "let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose." To all appearances, it seems that they got away with it. WebWe will attack Gibeon, because they have made peace with Joshua and the Israelites." Should we make a covenant with them? The soul who sins shall die. Notice verse 2 says that Saul tried to strike them down in his zeal (also means jealously or envy) for the people of Israel and Judah. Another thing that God said to do was not done. Instead, they told a story that either ignored the truth completely or, at least, shaded the truth in such a way that it was full of guile and deceit. This cultural thing about wanting our heroes flawed is so deeply ingrained in us that we cannot imagine anyone going through life without sin. King Saul (and his house?) Verse 1 did say that it was "Saul and his bloodthirsty house" who had massacred the Gibeonites. You had to go up quite a bit. It does not seem so. They were probably in middle age, 45-60. If people grow up in a society and culture that does not have God at their beck and call, they do whatever they wantwhatever comes naturally. Yet, the Bible specifically says in Hebrews 4:15 that He was without sin. It does not seem to me that during this time of the three years of famine David was emulating the attitude that he wrote about in Psalm 34. The Israelites had promised not to Would it be a good alliance to have with these people from far away?". . The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but in his zeal for Israel and Judah, Saul had sought to kill them.) He allowed his actions to be dictated by the Gentile principle of retributionvengeancerather than God's law on such matters. However, there was a difference between Israel's version and the Gentiles' principle of vengeance or retribution. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. We have a very simple biblical principle here: God is just. The scriptures are not very definitive as to why. When we read the history of skirmishes and battles between the Gibeonites and Israelites we get a King David was compelled to hand over his own people to the power of Israel's ongoing enemies. The famine was a punishment for Sauls violation of the covenant, made with the Gibeonites back during the days of Joshua. These cagey enemies of God's people were destined to be destroyed, so they devised a simple, but clever scheme to deceive Israel in the hope of saving their own necks. Israel and Judah," who may have fretted at the inconvenience of having the Gibeonites among them. II Samuel 21:8-9 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. Nevertheless, he names a few of them. Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. I don't know a great deal about this particular segment of those biblical people called the Hittites. Evidently, that is what he did. David then goes to Gibeonites and asked to make amends. It's much too heavy any more!" These are the two hints. He asked me, "How does this incident square with what God says in Ezekiel 18:19-20?". Therefore, this curse goes down until the gene pool is able to kick it outthree or four generations. They are going to cause problems. WebSaul, Israel's first king thought he knew better than God. The Gibeonites were not Israelites, but the remnant of the Amorites, which Saul pursued from within Israel. When He visits the iniquity upon successive generations, He is saying is that the results and curses that come automatically often go down a handful of generations. The Gibeonites merely asked for a mutual help pact that would guarantee not only mercy and aid from Israel, but protection from their common enemies. Even their empty wine skins were completely dried up and cracked. Some interesting similarities to New Testament times occur to me: The fact that David made a covenant with Jonathan regarding Jonathans house (1 Sam 20:14-16), would take precedence over all other reasons not to give up Mephibosheth, I would suppose. This traditional doctrine, as heard in a Catholic or Protestant church, would say that this sin of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden rests upon us still. Then they answered the king, "As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, "let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose." And then King David inquired of the Lord. Saul and the Pharisees persecuted and killed the Christians, The sons of King Saul were killed as a result of this attempted genocide, The non-Christian inhabitants of Jerusalem were destroyed in AD70 Gods judgment on them for murdering his son and doubtless, the early Christians. Then we have the explanations of which we just went over. WebWhich city did Saul destroy when he found that its priests had given David's men provision? But, very few people can relate to sinless perfection. Joshua realized he had been deceived, but he kept the letter of his covenant with the Gibeonites to let them live; however, he cursed and enslaved them as woodcutters and water-carriers. Saul later pursued the Gibeonites and sought to kill them off in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah. So they performed all that the king commanded. He sees the hearts of men and the hidden actions of men. Something is wrong. The breach of contract was serious enough that God sent the famine in response. Instead, the Gibeonites demanded the execution of seven of Saul's sons. What did David do to end the famine caused by Saul breaking a treaty with the Gibeonites? II Samuel 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. Some unfinished business here needs to be taken care of. There were no conditions. That is the background on the Gibeonites, and their relationship with Israel. Jeiel, Sauls great-grandfather, was the progenitor of the Gibeonites ( 1 Chron 8:29-33; 9:35-39 ), so Saul slaughtered his own relatives! Good question. However, that is not the case. Over the years I've urged our Fellowship to check out, investigate and take to heart such biblical alarms. God did not perform a miracle to end this famine after these men were executed. Much later, King Saul ignored this covenant of peace and killed some Gibeonites. PHARAOH AND HAMAN - Deuteronomy 7:1-2 When the LORD your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, and when the LORD your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. Then they were able to pick up the pieces of their lives and move forward by the strength that God gave them to overcome and to grow, and to put on the mindthe characterof Christ. That is basically how it was. They have a discussion in the next few verses, and many Israelites want to go ahead and kill these Gibeonites for what they did. II Samuel 21:1-14 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. What have you been thinking about?". You cannot tell. We don't hear much of the Gibeonites again until the reign of King Saul. We can't withstand them. I think he was looking at Adonijah and Solomon, and seeing the positioning for the throne, and he just wanted to throw up his handsflee like some bird (Psalm 139). Christ says, Luke 21:34-35 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. You didn't do it. 1. And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. Deep and long lasting trouble for both parties - both the Israelites and the Gibeonites - was the fruit of this clever, but calamitous deception. He then tells David that he can't marry Michal until he brings Saul 100 Philistine foreskins, thinking that David will definitely die in this attempt. There was not a cloud in sight and you are the king. WebThe consequences of Israels covenant with the Gibeonites were not short-term. And he gathered an army and attacked the Amalekites, and delivered Israel from the hands of those who plundered them. He was humble and relied on God, and was granted many victories over Israels enemies. Things started to go downhill over time however, as Saul became presumptuous and arrogant; he ignored several direct commands of God, and the last straw came when he interfered in offering a sacrifice to God, in direct contravention of what hed been told to do. he put the Gibeonites to death. There were no cell phones. WebThe Philistines decided not to attack D. God gave Saul three options to choose from as he went out against the Philistines. You do not know. It did not come the next week, or the next month, or the month after that, all through the summer and into the fall holy days. And you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest [no way of getting out of that either; he has to serve his whole time]. Is there something I'm missing? Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of 2. There is demotion. In effect, what they wanted to do was hang the bodies of Saul's family in Saul's hometown in sight of Jerusalem. Here we find the Gibeonites demand, and King David counter demandsNOT. A brief, but important, reference to the Gibeonites can also be found in 2 Samuel 21:1-14. Spiritual Strongholds (Part Two): Faithful Trust. Then they went back and took Ai. I do not think that King David thought through the implications of this matter very well. WebAnd the Lord answered, Saul and his family of murderers are the reason for the famine, because he killed the Gibeonites. 2 (The Gibeonites were not Israelites. 1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. Joshua and that generation did not do their entire job, and so they were stuck. Joshua did try to make lemonade out of his lemons. The second is at the end of verse 2, that "Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for Israel and Judah." One of the things He specifically mentions is famine, which happens to be the third sealphysical famine, but we remember from Amos that there is a spiritual famine as well. When asked about the time of the end; when questioned about the signs that would precede His Second Coming, our blessed Lord instinctively cautioned: "Take heed that no man deceive you." How many wars were fought? They fell for it hook, line, and sinker, and they were stuck. Deuteronomy 32:4. He does not live long past the end of II Samuel. A lot can happen in two years. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. He was distracted. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. We have to understand that the people of the land represent the things we need to overcomeour human nature and our problems; the world and its pulls to its ways; and Satan and all the ways that he tries to manipulate us. Therefore, they arrive in the camp of Israel, and say, "Where's your leader? The Gibeonites presented themselves to the invading Israelites, not as nearby neighbors, but as distant foreigners who lived in a far-off land. However there is nothing in the text that indicates he did this. The Gibeonites achieved their short term goal - survival; but they paid a terribly long term price for it - virtual slavery! ", "She's been doing that for six months? And how do I know this? It has got to go. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. The Jewish Encyclopedia asserts that one group of rabbis felt that Saul's punishment at God's hands is a sign of his weak moral character whose only virtue was being tall and handsome. Their special, if dishonest, dealings with the leaders of Israel gained them a notoriety that most of the tribes and clans of the ancient Mid-East never attained. 1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. If, in the event the Israelis ever came their way, they would be servants to the people of Israel. Vote Up And that day Joshua made them woodcutters and water carriers for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, in the place which He would choose, even to this day. And these men, they need to be buried. So, give or take, 40 to 50 years have passed. Community answers are sorted based on votes. 1. And Samuel says, "See? It is after Absalom's rebellion. THE STORY OF JOSEPH - He did not negotiate at all. The Gibeonites decided on a different strategy. When God called Saul to be king, Israel was on the verge of collapse. During the time of the judges, the Israelites had repeatedly turned away, lea It comes as a snare, Christ says, on everybody. The Lord told them they had made a commitment to these people and they had to stand by it. WebMany centuries later (the period from the exodus of Israel to the reign of Saul is generally considered to be about 400 years), Saul came to the throne in Israel. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites." (Matthew 14:1921). Joshua 9:22-24 Then Joshua called for them, and he spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you dwell near us? How far away was Gilgal from Gibeon? Such a shame to destroy it all! He could have done whatever he wanted. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown comments: It was a heathen practice to gibbet men with a view of appeasing the anger of the gods in seasons of famine, and the Gibeonites, who were a remnant of the Amorites, though brought to the knowledge of the true God, were not, it seems, free from this superstition. Vote Up Saul's bones are still in Jabesh-Gilead. Where are they from? King David came at it from a position of weakness, not of one who knew God's law and could answer these people from spiritual strength. Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! That the famine continued indicates God displeasure with David's decision and inner motives. Seven of Sauls descendants were hanged as a result. In verse 7 we see the only thing in the entire situation that was any good at all. This may have only been a couple of months later. In reading the Psalms, on the other hand, we get an idea of just how grateful he was for God's forgiveness and grace, because I believe he was aware of just what a rotten individual he really was. This incident appears in time sequence toward the end of his life. So he said, "Whatever you say, I will do for you." King Saul would conscript them into the army, and off they would go in a bloodthirsty rage against somebody else. Even so, maybe there were even worse problems, perhaps, and David was blind to them for three years. What do we do in a time of spiritual famine? It is in II Samuel 21. Why was Satan so effective in influencing the actions of Eve? God punished the whole nation for breaking the covenant. Throughout the centuries, the original Gibeonites continued to exist as a people, although King Saul schemed to destroy them. The Gibeonites, howev Notice that I Kings begins not many chapters after this. But that conclusion is a bit too sanguine once you begin to look into that which is not said, or what is said elsewhere. Why were two of Saul's sons and five of Saul's grandsons killed for a crime they didn't commit? See? Israel had to live with those consequences for years to come. The two hints are that Saul and his house had a reputation for violence"Saul and his bloodthirsty house." I will break the pride of your power; I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. This is in the second commandment. No silver or gold from that house. 2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the WebKing Saul later broke the treaty that Joshua had signed and attacked the Gibeonites. Gave 7 of Saul's sons to the Gibeonites. It seems as though he was spiritually sleepwalking through this whole thing. He made huge errors in judgment, both personally and in a larger sense. On the other hand, when people do well, like Abraham, and they live God's way of life, this allows God the leeway to show mercy unto thousands of generations of people. but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah. Ezekiel 18 makes it clear that God punishes people for their own iniquity. It springs out when you are not ready. Of course, a part of it is being able to look at ourselves and see how dirty, nasty, and rotten we are, and saying, "There is no way that anybody could live in this world without sin; even God's beloved Son.". Two years is a long time. What would be some verses from the Bible to save a marriage? They made their dust-covered clothes to look worn and ragged as if they had been on the road for many days, even months. 'Whoever kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses [another layer that comes in]; but one witness is not sufficient testimony against a person for the death penalty. Therefore, the world is full of sintheir own sin. WebThe biblical writer confirms this charge by stating that Saul tried to annihilate [ nkah, to inflict a dead blow] them (2 Sam. Most, if not all, of those responsible were dead. ", God answered immediately, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house. The rest of the Canaanites resented the defection of the Hivites which so greatly weakened the forces for defense, and, headed by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, they assembled to wreak vengeance on Gibeon. This incident of the famine took place rather late in David's life. Who are the twenty four elders that John foresaw? Over the years I've urged our Fellowship to check out, investigate and take to heart such biblical alarms. The problem was that God had not told Saul to do this, God had told Joshua to do that. The Gibeonites actually lived only a few miles from Jericho, the Twelve Tribes' designated entry point to Palestine. Had him over to the palace a few times." The latter believed that Saul's desire was to destroy them utterly. This is very, very important for this vignette in King David's life. But it does not say so here in so many words. But the massacre of the Gibeonites probably occurred after that. In Rizpahs case, her husband, King Saul, broke his promise that the Israelites would spare the Gibeonites in battle; he ordered the Israelites to annihilate them. This is a bit unusual. He had to plead to God for clearing and forgiveness, for cleaning up, because he knew it was not in himself to do that. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. So let seven of Sauls sons or grandsons be handed over to us, and we will execute them before the Lord at Gibeon, on the mountain of the Lord.. Psalm 34:4-10 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Then, I am sure, he started to think about other things that were happening, and he started to make some reforms in himself. On the mammoth scene of world history this minor alliance would rank as a minute encounter. Throughout the Scriptures warnings of spiritual dangers are signaled by the flash cards of attention getting words like: "Take heed" or "Consider". Let his blood be on us and on our children., Perhaps the Gibeonites are a type of the inclusion of the gentiles Romans 9:22-24. That is not what it says here. They decided to fight with the Gibeonites and teach them a lesson. He does not seem to have asked the priest who would know the law the best to find out what Scripture said about situations like this. Their representatives were not up front with the Israeli leaders. Another group, however, argues that as God's anointed king, He tried to come up with a compromise, and that was basically, "Whatever you want, you can have." I am putting this all together from history. The Israelites had been dealing with the Gibeonites, who were Hivitesand as it says here, they were a part of the Amorite peoplesince the first days in the land under Joshua. The Bible does not provide us the details of this killing. A little further down, we read: II Samuel 21:2 . Why are they where they were? This is a major reason why the church of God does not subscribe to the traditional doctrine of "The Fall of Man." Why did Herod like to listen to John the Baptist, who criticized Herods lifestyle? It is not there in the Scriptures. They probably went from Gibeon by some circuitous route so they did not come directly from the west where they actually lived. I think he was distracted by all the cares of his office of being king. The consequences are not the guilt. It is not the sin of Adam and Eve; it is their own sin. Gibeon was situated very close to Gibeah the home town of Sauls family. Those who believe that they can outsmart, outflank or in any way outmaneuver our Enemy through cerebral strategies are doomed to the slavery and destruction heaped upon Saul and the Gibeonites. A person dies for his own sins, not those committed by someone else, whether father, son, or black sheep uncle. Does the devil have power to make us sick? During the time of the judges, the Israelites had repeatedly turned away, leaving them corrupt and faithless. He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. In fact, it can be read as if David approached it as only a minor administrative matter. This indicates that God was not pleased, whatsoever, with how this situation was resolved by David. And the Lord said, "There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death. Perhaps if I go and kill all the Gibeonites like Joshua was supposed to do, maybe God will let me back into the chair.". If He said that you are out of here, you are out of here. However, the Gibeonites did. You are getting later and later in David's life here. I know that he had other family problems because the prophecies said that he would. There is less bloodshed, and there will not be much opportunity like in Gentile nations for these blood feuds to last for years and generations. The historical narrative of King David is drawing to a close. No one killed king David. He died of old age, at the age of three score and ten (70 years). His son Solomon succeeded him. You might be thinking of Even though the avenger of blood could kill the person if he caught him before he arrived at the city of refugewhat this verse is saying, here, is that if the nation follows through, and enlarges the lands by obeying God, He will designate more cities of refuge so that they are closer. It is his sin. Web2 Samuel 21:1 Context. I also want you to see how warlike Saul was. We have an easier time identifying with the flawed, but heroic, Lancelot from the legends of King Arthur, because he is a lot more like ushe commits sin; he has faults. CONFLICT OF THE AGES ARTICLES Just tell me and I will do it for you.. But, the big thing was that he did not consult God about what he should do about it. Share What have they done? WebThe designation Nethinim is derived from the Hebrew verb natan ("to give over"), which can mean devoting someone to cultic service. He was the king. He gives them exactly what they want, and look at what happens. So, he kept his own covenant, but he did not go any further to figure out from God's law to know what should be done in this situation. He did not perform any miracle, or any other thing to show that He was happy with the way that things turned out. God spared them as a people, but His nation condemned them to endless servitude. In addition, his own soldiers had to tell him, "David, you just don't have it anymore. They were appeasing their own god to send rain. He was distracted by the cares of this world, by the pulls of this, that, and the other thing, and so he gives in and compromises with the people of the land. WebThese lists are not concerned with the Gibeonites at Gibeon, but with the Benjaminite group which came to settle at Gibeon in the course of time. But certainly, David was. I am just going to start with the backdrop to the incident. I Samuel 14:52 Now there was fierce war with the Philistines all the days of Saul. He did not do anything to directly intervene. Notice God declares that the bloodguilt was not just on Saul, but also his house. Obviously, having seen what happened to Jericho and Ai, they knew God and Israel were serious. It must have been a satisfactory solution from Gods point of view, because he sent the rain on the land after the measures had been taken. Go back with me to Deuteronomy 7 and see the instruction that God gave to Israel about how to deal with these kinds of people. The rains did not come after the Days of Unleavened Bread when these seven men were executed. Moreover you shall take no ransom for the life of a murderer who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death [he cannot buy his way out]. He committed colossal sins that whole nations would be held in contempt for. Deuteronomy 19:7-10 Therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall separate three cities for yourself.' Report, September 02 2013 They had a more bloody and violent systemwhich often led to blood feuds that may not ever end until a whole family or generation was gone. But Joshua had the final decision. It is very evident from verse 4 that somebody offered money, either from the palace or from the family of Saul. My reading between the lines concludes that King David was at a spiritual low point at this time. But, he did not. Clarify But, the others were Saul's grandsons. Does the Bible encourage the practice of Lent?
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